


The Outsider

by 1K_yers4



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drug Use, Explicit Language, Mild Language, Multi, Rating May Change, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24243157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1K_yers4/pseuds/1K_yers4
Summary: Oswald was ready to let go, to let the new world go and let it take her. But fate has a way of dragging you back to reality, and Oswald finds herself getting pulled into Alexandria during the worst time possible.
Relationships: Maggie Greene/Glenn Rhee, Negan (Walking Dead)/Original Character(s), Rick Grimes/Michonne, Tara Chambler/Denise Cloyd
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	The Outsider

The white curtains gently billowed around like clouds as a breeze came through the window. I laid beneath the curtains and watched them sway, my mind as light as the curtains swaying in the breeze. They looked like pale clouds, and they were soft when I reached out and touched them. The touch was so soft and I smiled, feeling the wash of relaxation sweep over my sore muscles and the sight of the angry red track marks littering my elbows couldn’t distract me from the softness of the curtains.

My assigned house was large and so damn empty. Deanna had promised she’d let me move in with others when I got used to it, the same way that teenager had, but so far I’d been here for two weeks and no one was running up to interact with me. So I stayed in the house and only went outside for rations and whenever Aiden decided to go hunting for supplies. But until then, I was free to indulge in the last of my morphine supply until it eventually killed me.

I had made sure no one could come interrupt me while I did this. It was the second time I got high living in Alexandria, and so far no one suspected anything. Aaron just thought I was sick with a flu when he found me, and Deanna did the interview after I had recovered enough from my “flu” to carry a full conversation. My house was safe as it ever was going to be before bringing out the last of the morphine and plunging the needle into the crook of my elbow. The calm high had come on as I laid down on the floor underneath these curtains. Warm waves pulsated directly underneath my flesh and there was a comforting weight resting directly on my ribcage. I could kinda hear my breathing coming through my open mouth, and mixed together with the floating curtains above me, it combined into a blanket of calm that held me down and refused to let me move. 

How long had I been laying here? I’d been watching dust motes float gently through the air for a while, but I’d learned before that I could lay for hours while high without realizing it.

The setting was so quiet and peaceful, that when I heard voices floating in from the open window, I knew it wasn’t something coming from the morphine. Were there new people here? By the sound of it, there were a lot. 

Sitting up felt like I was going in slow motion, but when I got up, I was able to see Aaron leading a group of... a lot of people into one of the houses across the street. I lowered myself and sighed, the curtains brushing against my face as I went back down.

I’d ride the high out before coming out and seeing the new people. They wouldn’t want to see anyone new just yet. I sure as hell hadn’t and had to barricade my front door to keep the neighbors from walking right in. 

The light of the sun turned from bright to orange to darkness before I felt the initial high melt off of me. I could move at a normal speed and the warmth that coated me melted away until I didn’t feel toasty anymore. I sighed heavily several times, catching my breath. 

There was maybe one dose of morphine left. Just enough to get high off of, enough to dull pain, enough to escape for a little while. I held the dosage in my hand and stared hard at it. After this was out, I needed to figure out how to find more. I couldn’t go cold turkey inside these walls; who knows how Deanna would react when she found out she let an addict inside. 

Deanna would probably throw me out like last week’s garbage if she ever figured it out. The thought was barely able to darken my head as I cleaned the needle and hid the last of the morphine away in one of the vents. The needle was hidden under a loose piece of floorboard, and as long as nobody stood on the loose board for longer than five seconds, they wouldn’t find it. 

When I felt like a person again, I slid sunglasses onto my face and pulled the hoodie Eric had found for me, to hide my eyes and red track marks on my arms. The door unlocked with a loud click that echoed around the empty house and I walked into the late evening light. 

There wasn’t a lot of light left shining on Alexandria, and the sunglasses made everything darker. I briefly experimented with them coming off, and squinted extra hard when I sat them on the top of my head. The house across from my house blazed with light; it looked like every single light was on in there. I stared at the lights for a moment, the brightness burning against the dark building. But then a silhouette appeared in the living room window.

The man was tall, and even from here across the street, I could tell he was strong. His beard and hair were overgrown and I could barely see his face from underneath all the hair. But I saw his eyes turn towards me and stay there. I locked eyes with the hairy man and slowly raised a hand to wave at him. He stared at me for a solid minute before waving back. 

I nodded and left the street, turning my back on him and heading to the storehouse to get supplies for dinner. I’d meet the hairy man and the rest of his crew tomorrow or something, whenever they were ready to interact. 

There was a small line for the storage garage in Olivia’s house. Olivia did something for those who didn’t have enough supplies in the house for fully made meals where she’d make dinners and pass them out. By the time I got to Olivia’s house, I saw Nicholas and his son Mikey leaving the porch, both with full, plastic wrapped plates in their hands. Nicholas nodded to me as they passed, and I hurried into the house, slipping the sunglasses onto my face to protect myself from the lights of Olivia’s house.

“Well don’t you look like a rockstar.” Olivia said, a chuckle in her voice as I entered her kitchen. “I’m so glad you’re starting to come out more, Oswald.”

“Maybe I’ll start taking walks ‘round the neighborhood.” I said, watching her scoop mashed potatoes and gravy onto a plate. “I feel a cold coming on though. Don’t know how active I’ll be in the next few days.”

“Few days?” Olivia echoed. She placed two hamburger patties onto the plate. “You get sick a lot?”

“Yeah.” I replied. “It’s happened before, ya know. It’s springtime; allergies and shit.”

Olivia blinked and wrapped up the plate of food. As she handed it to me, she nodded, “I’m allergic to bee stings and certain kinds of trees.”

“Mushrooms and springtime for me,” I replied. “Thank you for the dinner, Olivia.” I gave her a smile before leaving the house, the plate nice and warm against my hands. 

I was nearly back to my house when I saw someone move out of the corner of my eye. I glanced up and saw the hairy man from the window standing on his front porch. He took one look at me and immediately I was reminded of cops.

“You like it here?” He asked gruffly, his rough sounding hard as rocks. 

“I guess.” I said. “Just moved in like, two weeks ago. Everyone’s nice enough. Who are you?”

He blinked. “Rick Grimes. It’s been a while since I’ve introduced myself to someone.” He frowned. “Why’re you wearing sunglasses at night?”

I pulled the sunglasses to the top of my head. “Just woke up from an accidental nap and Olivia’s house is damn bright.” I nodded at the front door. “How many people do you have in there? Caught a glimpse earlier; seemed like a lot.”

“We’ve got plenty.” Rick replied. 

The front door swung open and another man stepped out. His dark eyes zeroed in on me and he openly scowled down at me from behind a thick dark brown beard. “You need help, Rick?” He asked in a low growl. 

“I’m just fine, Shane.” Rick said, barely taking his eyes from me. He nodded at me. “You have a good night now...I didn’t get your name.” 

“Name’s Oswald.” I said, narrowing my eyes right back at the pissed off one who just walked out--Shane. “See y’all around, neighbors.” And with that said, I waved goodbye to both and turned and walked back into my house. All the while, I could feel their eyes glaring at me from their porch. 

I made sure to deadbolt my door shut the second I got inside. I didn’t like the look of those two; they reminded me too much of cops. The last thing I needed was a cop sniffing around this house. What if they found the morphine or hell, even the needle? Who the hell hides a needle under the floorboards unless it was something worth hiding?

I pushed a table in front of the door just in case.


End file.
